To Endure
by Pen-Always-In-Hand
Summary: Based on Bride of the Water God 2017. After Habaek's return, So-ah thought life could only get better. But trouble brews in the Realm of the Gods, including a usuper, dangerous new gods, & threats on So-ah herself. She and Habaek will need their godly, half-godly, & human allies to face the threat against their love and life together. Post ep. 16/finale
1. Chapter 1

**A.N. So, I've decided to write a fanfiction for Bride of the Water God, even though there are other fics I should pay attention to, and with school and an internship coming up, I'm not sure how much time I can devote to this, but I will certainly try! I recently finished binge-watching TVN's Bride of the Water God, a kdrama based (pretty loosely, I'd say) on Yun Mi-kyung's manhwa Bride of the Water God, and I just really wanted fanfiction for it, and, finding very little, I decided to write my own.**

 **As a warning, this will be based mostly on the TV adaptation, but I will incorporate a lot of the manhwa characters, history, and relationships to the plot of the show, which will be obvious soon for readers of the manhwa.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think! Theories and constructive criticism welcome!**

* * *

 _Seoul, Republic of Korea (South Korea)_  
 _2018_

The beeping of an alarm clock filled the room, and grabbed Yoon So-ah from sleep. She blinked in confusion, adjusting to the light of day, and reached for the offending sound; it was her phone this time, not the actual clock her co-worker Yoo Sang-yoo had given her.

After making its way across the wooden surface of her bedside table, her hand finally latched onto her phone, and she pulled it to her, silencing the digital alarm. In the resulting quiet, So-ah could hear other morning sounds, such as the chatter of birds, a trash truck going about its morning route, other cars rushing by on the road...

...and the sound of breathing from the person lying next to her.

So-ah glanced over her shoulder to see Habaek, eyes closed, face turned towards her as he laid on his side; the sheet covered up to his chest, one muscular arm thrown over it. She tilted her head, smiling - she had fallen asleep on Habaek's lap last night as they watched TV, but she had a hazy memory of him placing her on her bed a little while later. Carefully, she slid the sheet off her own body and swung her legs out of bed, knowing she needed to get up now - the alarm had been set for a reason, after all.

Just as she placed her feet on the floor, an arm reached around and pulled her back; she let out a startled yip.

"And _where_ ," Habaek's deep voice began, muffled slightly by the pillow and lingering sleep, "do you think you're going?"

So-ah gave a slight smile, tilting her head backwards to look at him, "I have to get up," she told him, as if he didn't already know. "I have work, remember? Patients to see?"

He grunted, and tightened his hold on her. "Leave them. Stay here with me. I'm more important."

"You don't want my clinic to shut down again, do you?" So-ah reached up and placed her hand on Habaek's arm. She meant to push it off her - or try to, at least - but found herself stroking it instead. "You never took care of my money troubles, you know. I was really counting on that." He didn't respond, so she continued, teasingly, "Though, of course, I could ask Hu-ye for a little loan, if you don't want me to go -"

The arm slithered off her. "No," Habaek declared, rising halfway; So-ah fell further against him, balancing herself by placing her arms behind her. "No loans and no deals. You know I don't like that he can give you things I can't. I don't want to owe him."

"Which is why you need me to get up," So-ah pointed out, a teasing smile still on her face. "And you should pick up the pace on finding your own job. You don't have Namsuri to do that for you anymore."

It had been a little over a month since Habaek returned from the Realm of the Gods to grant her wish, to stay with her before he ascended the throne he was born to occupy. In that time, Habaek had tried some more modelling and hawking street wares, but he wanted something that earned more, and refused to do some of the jobs Namsuri had taken.

"Hmmph. Fine." Habaek pushed her up, and made shooing motions. "If you have such important things to do, then go and do them."

So-ah stood up, walking around the side of the bed and pulling at his arm. "C'mon, c'mon, you gotta get up, too! Aren't you going to see me off?" She pouted at him to drive her point home, and the god sighed.

"Get ready," he said, rising from the bed. Her eyes roamed his body - he worn pajama shorts and nothing else, and a small blush tinted her cheeks. He noticed, and, smirking, opened his drawer in her dresser and took out a shirt, pulling it over his head. His smirk grew wider at her pout.

"Not fair," she whined. He brushed by her, going down the stairs.

"Get ready," he repeated. She watched him until the top of his black hair disappeared, then sighed. He was far too much a tease for her to handle.

When she headed downstairs herself, dressed in a pink shirt and professional black pants - her doctor's coat was at the clinic - and her hair done in a bun, she found the water god setting the kitchen table. Two bowls of _doenjang_ soup, a bowl of cooked rice in the middle, and a plate with a steamed egg next to each bowl sat ready and waiting on the table. Their master-servant cups were placed in front of the plates.

"My, looks good," So-ah said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. She placed a finger on her chin as if wondering, and asked, "Who made it?"

Habaek paused in sitting down in his own chair to glare at her. "Well," he said, "if it tastes good, we'll know _you_ didn't make it."

"Oh! How rude!"

Some time later they finished breakfast - which So-ah thought was good, but she stubbornly refused to say it out loud - and So-ah was heading out the door to work. Once more, an arm pulled her back, and this time spun her around until she was facing Habaek, who had wrapped both arms around her.

"Habaek..."

He leaned down and kissed her, silencing her protest. She leaned into the kiss, savoring it, before they pulled apart. Habaek looked at her, roaming her face with his eyes.

"I just wanted one more. Before you left," he told her. She smiled at him, and reached up to kiss him again.

"I'll be back tonight," she promised, reluctantly disentangling herself from his arms; just as reluctantly, he let her.

"Come back early," he said. "Listen to me this time, alright? You never do."

She just smiled at him again, brighter and more beautiful in his eyes than any sun. "Of course."

...

When So-ah reached her clinic, walking through the door to the reception area, she saw her nurse, Sang-yoo, talking with a man, about their age and a bit shorter than Sang-yoo; his hair had been bleached and cut very close to his head.

"Good morning," she called, interrupting the two. They both turned, and Sang-yoo snapped to attention.

"Oh, Doctor, good morning!" he exlaimed. He rushed over to his desk and shuffled through some papers. "Your first appointment is in twenty minutes, with Kim Soo Mi, a new patient, and then we have some regulars lined up - I'll put the list on your desk."

"Mmm, thank-you," So-ah acknowledged. She looked at the man, who did not seem happy to be here, curiously. "What about him? Who's this?"

"You mean you don't recognize me, Yoon So-ah?" the man asked, looking her right in the eyes. His face looked sharp, gaunt, almost, though he didn't seem undernourished. "Of course, I had hoped to never see your selfish, self-righteous face ever again, so I guess that's a win for me."

So-ah drew back, confused and offended as Sang-yoo hissed something at the man. His voice was slightly familiar...and now that she thought about it, she _did_ recognize him.

"M-Min Chul..." she said. Something tightened in her chest. This was a friend of Sang-yoo, and, more importantly, another child that So-ah's father had taken in during their childhood. So-ah had refused to call any of them her foster siblings, and even now she felt uncomfortable with the idea, but there was no denying they had grown up together, well into their teenage years, but it _had_ been a while.

So-ah swallowed and asked quietly, "Wha...what are you doing here?"

"He came to visit me," Sang-yoo said hurriedly, taking hold of his friend's arm and trying to usher him out. "Something came up about the wedding - he works at the rental hall we're having it in. But I'm sorry, Doctor, I didn't think he'd be so rude. He's leaving now."

Min Chul rolled his eyes, but allowed Sang-yoo to push him out the door. So-ah watched him go, slightly perturbed. Hyung Sik had been around a few more times, but still seemed uneasy around the doctor, and So-ah hadn't interacted with Sang-yoo's other friends. She'd felt justified in that before, wanting to distance herself from them and her painful past, and hadn't Sang-yoo said they hated her enough to kill her? But...well, she was a psychiatrist, after all; shouldn't she be trying to resolve traumatic incidents rather than ignore them? The past few months, with Habaek's support and the revelations about her father had made her reconsider her position on the children her father tried to help.

Sang-yoo was turning away from the door. "I'm sorry, Doctor," he was saying, repeating his apology. "I try to keep this a professional work space, I know you like that. I didn't think he would say something like that - and in your own office, too! I -"

"Sang-yoo," So-ah interrupted. He looked at her, glasses slighly askew. "I think...could you tell Min Chul, Hyung Sik, and the others, that I'd...like to meet them sometime? I'll pay for dinner, or something, or have them to my house...soon, maybe? I...need to talk to them."

Sang-yoo looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "D-doctor? Are you alright? You're not going through another personality change, are you?"

"Oh, never mind!" So-ah exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "Here I am trying to be nice to this punk, and I get questioned like a criminal! Fine, fine. I'll be in my office, let me know when Ms. Kim gets here."

She opened the door to her office, leaving it cracked slightly, and descended the steps, shaking her head a little. "Honestly, that punk..." she muttered to herself.

Still her lips quirked upwards a little, especially when she heard, just barely, Sang-yoo, calling someone and saying, "Hey, Hyun Ah, could you tell the others something for me..."

...  
 _Sky Country, Realm of the Gods_

In the throne room of the palace of Sky Country sat the ruler of Sky Country, one thin elbow on the arm of the throne, hand laid lightly on his cheek, supporting his head. He wore a robe of light blue silk, embrodiered with white cranes. A servant knelt on the floor before him, head bowed and one arm crossed over her chest; the tip of her black braid just barely touched the ground.

"You know what to do, Chun Hoo?" the king asked.

"Yes, my lord," the servant answered, not daring to look up. "I will not fail you."

"Good. Then go now."

The servant nodded, and then left, hurrying to carry out her master's order. The Sky King looked out one of the big, bright windows in the throne room, spying, in the distance, the spires of the Imperial Palace, where the Emperor of all Gods resided. His red lips twisted into a smile as he thought of the Emperor's throne. If all went as planned - and it would, he was sure of that - then it would soon be him ruling over the gods.

And if Habaek of the Water Country, or anyone else, got in his way...well, he had plans for that, too.

Just in case.

* * *

 **A.N. - I hope I got everyone in character so far. Obviously a lot of headcanons and theories playing out here, but what do you think? I'd love to know.**


	2. Chapter 2

Towards the end of the day, when her last patient had left, So-ah sat at her desk, finishing up some paperwork. It had been a successful and busy day, but nothing too eventful. She had gotten quite a few new clients over the past few months, and many of Hu-ye's employees still sought her out to deal with their stress. It had certainly relieved a lot of her stress as well, being able to keep her clinic open and pay the rent each month. She'd even given Sang-yoo a raise as a wedding present, somehow managing to convince him to wait until she was able to before getting married.

The sound of her door opening caught So-ah's attention, and she raised her head to see who it was - Sang-yoo had left a little while ago, a bit reluctantly and after much insistence on her part that she would be fine for the night. To her great surprise, she saw that it was Min Chul.

"M-Min Chul!" So-ah exclaimed, a sense of deja vu coming over her; she sounded almost exactly like she had this morning. She rose from her seat. "What are you doing here?"

Min Chul stood with his hands in the pockets of his jeans, shoulders slightly hunched. "When I came here earlier," he said after a while, "it wasn't to see Sang-yoo. I came to see you."

So-ah pushed away from her desk, a little wary. "Me? Why?"

There was another long pause. "Because I know he's inviting you to the wedding, and I want to convince you not to come."

So-ah stared at him, taken aback once more. A spark of anger lit inside of her - who did he think he was, coming into her clinic and telling her not to accept an invitation, one that he hadn't even sent? But she took a breath to keep her cool, and replied, "I don't see how that's your business if I come or not. If Sang-yoo doesn't want me to come, he should tell me himself -"

"He would never do that," Min Chul interrupted, scowling at her. "Even after all this time, and all the terrible things you put him, put all of us, through, he thinks he needs to take care of you. That he owes your father something." He shook his head, as if in disbelief. "Your father...your father was an amazing man, and if he could see how cold-hearted you are, he would be _ashamed_ -"

"Min Chul!" So-ah snapped, rising from her chair, glaring at the man with a matching ferocity. "This is - that's - you know what? Did you hear that I wanted to get all of you together?"

Min Chul looked at her suspiciously. "Yes."

So-ah walked around her desk, getting closer to him, anger making her bolder. "And you know why I wanted to talk to you? I wanted to - I wanted to _apologize_ to you all. I - I know, now, I know now, that I..." she swallowed, trying to find the words she thought she would at least have another day to find, "that I wasn't good to you, any of you, during childhood. I...was wrong. And I was even more wrong, taking so long to realize it. So, I'm sorry, Min Chul. I'm sorry. And I will say it to Sang-yoo, and Hyung Sik, and everyone else when I see them. Tomorrow, the day after, before the wedding, or after, I don't care which...but I _will_ be going. You're not going to convince me otherwise."

Min Chul, for his part, seemed a little surprised at her words. But his expression quickly smoothed, and he continued to regard her a scowl. Finally, he nodded. "Well. At least you've realized it. It took you long enough, stupid woman." He pulled his hands out of his pockets, letting them dangle by his sides. "And fine. I guess I'll see you at the wedding then, if not before." Then he turned and started up the stairs, heading to the exit.

So-ah blinked at him, startled by his reaction, or near-lack of one. "W-wait!" she called after him. "Is that all you have to say -"

He slammed the door on her.

So-ah stared at the door for a long time, a bit insulted. He hadn't even given the most perfunctory of bows, simply turned on his heel and left. And...had he even accepted her apology? It didn't seem like it. Well, she'd done her part, she didn't need him to fall all over her in thanks.

She shook her head and removed her doctor's coat, hanging it on the provided hook. She didn't have anything else that couldn't be done in the morning, and besides, Habaek would be waiting for her. He was probably going to chide her on coming home so late, but it's not like she could help it. As she went out the door Min Chul had passed through only moments before, a small frown formed on her lips.

"How rude," she murmured to herself. "Sang-yoo should get some nicer friends."

...

Just as she predicted, Habaek had stayed up for her, leaning against the wall by their front gate, dressed in the white shirt he'd pulled on this morning and a pair of black slacks. He had his arms crossed over his chest, a pensive look on his face; when he saw her, however, it disappeared, replaced with a relieved smile.

"Late again," he told her as she reached him, taking his hands in hers and interlocking their fingers. "What was the reason _this_ time?"

"No big deal," she answered. She released one of his hands to push open the gate, pulling him along. Entering the house, she answered, "I just had to talk to someone."

"Someone? A patient?" They were in the kitchen now, and with these words he pressed her against the counter, his hands on either side of her. His head was tilted to the side slightly, and the sight made her giggle.

"Oh, no, not exactly," she said breezily, deciding to push his buttons a little. "Just a human...male...well, not really a friend, I'd say more like...an acquaintance? No, more than that - anyway, a man I have an long and interesting relationship with."

He frowned, head no longer tilted, and leaned in even closer to her. Her breath hitched slightly, and warmth spread through her. His eyes were mesmerizing, and she got so lost in him so quickly, she nearly started at the sound of his voice.

"Who," Habaek said, slowly, clearly, to make sure she heard him, "do I have to worry about now?"

So-ah smiled at him, a little, and in a gentle, completely serious tone, she told him, "No one. I was kidding. It was just...someone that I wronged, a long time ago. Someone I needed to apologize to."

Understanding dawned in his eyes, and he pulled back, nodding. "Ah. I see." Then he frowned. "I didn't appreciate your joke, though."

"Oh, come on, it's so fun seeing you get jealous!" So-ah exclaimed, pushing him back lightly. She tilted her head, a sudden thought coming to her. "Oh, but...this has made me think...what is family like? In the world of the gods, I mean?"

Habaek looked startled, blinkng at her. But soon he straightened up, recovered, and looked at her. Then he made his way over to the couch, saying over his shoulder, "Make me some tea, and I'll tell you."

She sighed, but did as he asked, putting the pot on to boil. After a few minutes, she had two mugs filled with tea, and, one in each hand, brought them over the couch. She handed one to him, then sat down, keeping her own clasped between her hands, soaking up its warmth; little tendrils of heat wafted up from the mugs, like smokestacks.

Habaek took a sip from the cup before placing it down on the table. "What do you want to know?" He smirked at her. "More on our marriage practices?"

So-ah scowled at him. "No! No, I - well, I guess, anything but that. Do you have parents? How are you born? Can you have siblings? What are other gods born to do, if not be king?"

A thoughtful look crossed the god's face, and he nodded at each of her questions, taking them in. "Gods are not born like humans," he began. "We are nature, created to fill a need in the spiritual world. When we come into existence, we have a predetermined destiny that must be fulfilled, that we are born to do. I was born, I was created, I came into existence in order to be the god of water, and to be king of the gods. That is my fate."

So-ah nodded, knowing that already. Habaek continued, "We do not have parents like you do, either - other gods don't create us. But we can still form those types of relationships. Bi Ryeom, I told you, was born from the back of the love goddess - that was both their fates, I suppose - and so the goddess took him under her wing and considered him her son."

So-ah put her cup down and twisted her body, so she could see Habaek better. "What about you? Do you have parents?"

Habaek nodded. "Yes. I was raised by Seowangmo, goddess of beauty, love, death, torture, and cruelty."

"Oh...well...of course you were," So-ah responded, blinking. Habaek nodded seriously, seeming not to have noticed the hint of sarcasm in his lover's voice.

"Yes. She and her husband, Dongwangkong, were nearby when I emerged from a body of water, which eventually grew into Water Country. We came into existence together, you see."

"Ah. I see." She paused. "Is that why you said, one time, that you couldn't imagine Water Country without you? Because you're like...twins?"

Habaek stared at her, perplexed by her choice of words. "We are inextricably linked, yes. Water Country cannot be without me." Suddenly he smiled, and leaned in, forcing So-ah down against the arm of the couch. Habaek loomed over her, and she felt her heart racing again.

"H-Habaek?"

"But, do you know what I cannot be without?" the god asked.

So-ah took a deep breath to steady herself, inhaling his scent. "No," she said. "What is it?"

"You." Then he leaned down and kissed her. Without hesitation, she returned the kiss, and any other thoughts about about godly families - _wait my future mother-in-law is the god of **torture?**_ \- left her head completely.

...

Much later, when So-ah lay sleeping on the couch, legs pulled up to her chest, Habaek sat in the chair, watching her. He smiled, thinking how grateful he was that their fates had been so entwined. To think he'd spent so much of his life ignorant of that fact, generations and generations before she was even born. A funny thing, fate was.

The god stilled then, lips twisting into a frown. He rose from his seat, and went to the door to his apartment, crossing that room in a few strides and exiting onto the roof. A harsh wind was blowing, rustling trees and making the laundry on the line snap and billow in its wake. It was colder than was seasonal, and something in the air seemed...wrong to the water god. Bi Ryeom couldn't possibly be playing a strange prank now, could he? He had always gravitated towards storm clouds and lightning strikes rather than rushing gales, though. And what other god would dare approach his house and stay unknown, like a thief in the night?

So, after a few long moments out there on the roof, sensing nothing, Habaek finally turned and headed back inside. He went through his room and went down the stairs, settling himself not back on the chair but on the couch, carefully placing So-ah's legs on his lap. She had moved in her sleep, facing the back of the couch now, one arm flung over her face as if shielding her eyes from a light. Habaek smirked at the strange display. Even in sleep, she could be so strange.

He shifted himself slightly, getting more comfortable, readying for a long night. The feeling of foreboding he'd gotten probably meant nothing, especially since he couldn't detect anything on the roof...but it couldn't hurt to stand watch for the night.


	3. Chapter 3

Bi Ryeom, god of wind and storms, citizen of Sky Country in the Realm of the Gods, sat on his plush couch in his penthhouse suite, idly amusing himself by scrolling through posts on his phone. Mura was out at a shoot, this time for a commercial for some new beauty products. She'd complained to him that it didn't make sense, because her beauty was divine and couldn't possibly be improved by cosmetics, and humans were just deluding themselves thinking they could replicate it. He'd pointed out she didn't have to do it, but she'd just scowled at him and left for work without another word.

A knock on the door startled him, and he stilled, looking at the door in surprise. Mura would never knock; besides the fact that she had a key (and that he never bothered to lock up anyway), she would just barge in loudly with no concern for him. Which was fine by him really. But then who else would it be? He hadn't ordered room service or anything...maybe it was a mail delivery, or a fan trying to find where Mura lived. Or Manager Kim?

The knock came again, and Bi Ryeom grinned, intrigued. "Only one way to find out," he said out loud, and got up off the couch, placing his phone on the coffee table beside him. He reached the door and pulled it open, leaning against it with one hand in his pocket, an amused smirk on his face. When it registered who was in front of him, however, the smirk faltered.

A woman stood at the door, long, thick black hair done in a braid. She was small, about 5'3", and her eyes were a golden brown color. She wore a simple blue dress with a black belt and black flats. Looking at the wind god with a piercing stare, she said, "Hello, Bi Ryeom." Her lips turned up at the corner, but it wasn't a smile. "It's been a long time."

"Ch-Chun Hoo," Bi Ryeom stuttered, shocked at her appearance. Like him, she was also a citizen of Sky Country, and the personal attendant of the Sky King. An uncomfortable feeling settled in his gut as he remembered the last time they had spoken to each other. "Um, yeah. It...has been a while. What are you doing here?"

"May I come in?" she replied, gesturing to his suite. Bi Ryeom blinked, and then nodded, moving aside so she could enter. He shook his head to clear it, and, recovering, said,

"Ah, of course. My home is open to any gods in need, especially Sky Country ones."

Chun Hoo didn't reply at first, simply looking, taking in everything. "You've done well for yourself," she noted, before turning to face him. "Of course, you are literally a god among humans, so it shouldn't be a surprise."

"What are you doing here, Chun Hoo?" Bi Ryeom repeated. He resisted the urge to check his phone for the time - Mura should be wrapping up and be back soon.

"Well, I'm not in need," she answered. Her lips twitched again, and this time she did smile. "Is it so hard to believe that I just wanted to see you? You've been away from home for many years."

Bi Ryeom scowled, losing any semblance of friendliness. He headed away from the door, brushing by her to go to his counter. He needed a drink to deal with this.

"Liar," he said, once he'd opened his fridge and poured himself a glass of whiskey. "We both know you never do or say anything that the king hasn't ordered you to."

The hesitant smile disappeared, and she scowled back at him. "What about when we were together? Do you think I was your lover because His Majesty _ordered_ me to?" She said the last part with a sneer. "You think too much of yourself, Bi Ryeom. Or, too little, perhaps."

He set the glass down with a heavy clunk. "As I recall, that is _exactly_ what happened. You said so yourself."

"Oh, you remember that? I guess you don't remember what else I said that day, though, do you?" She gestured with her arm, indicating the blanket on the couch that had Mura's face on it, and the coffee table, with pamphlets of her latest movie coming out in 2019. "You're still chasing after that witch, I see."

Bi Ryeom was suddenly in front of Chun Hoo, like a speedy wind. "Lady Mura is a goddess, and a citizen of Water Country," he told her, in a tight voice. His hands were clenched at his side. "You will show her the proper respect."

Chun Hoo looked at him, deeply unimpressed. "Still obsessed with Water Country, too, it seems." She shook her head, and then sighed. "Oh, Bi Ryeom. No wonder the king wanted me to come. His concerns about you were right." She raised a hand, as if to touch him, but then brought it back down.

Bi Ryeom pulled back, surprised by her words. He knew Chun Hoo must have come at the Sky King's request, but it had to do with him personally? How?

"What do you mean?" he asked.

Chun Hoo pursed her lips, then said, "His Majesty the Sky King requests that you return home, Lord Bi Ryeom."

Bi Ryeom swallowed. As much as he disliked Habaek, especially whenever he tried to be kingly and commanding, and as much as he loved his own country, the wind god had spent so much time in Water Country and the human world because he could not stand his own king. It could only mean trouble if he was asking Bi Ryeom to come back.

"'Requests'?" he said at last. "That's all he said?"

Chun Hoo hesitated, then nodded, a bit reluctantly. "It is an invitation, Bi Ryeom, not an order. Not yet."

Bi Ryeom turned away from Chun Hoo, back to his drink. "Well," he said, in a more sarcastic tone, "then please tell _His Majesty_ that I decline." He grabbed his drink, finished it in one swallow, and then spun around to face her again. " _Respectfully,_ of course."

The goddess stared at him, and for a second, he thought she looked genuinely grieved. But then she pressed her lips together, nodded, and bowed politely. "Of course."

She turned on her heel and headed to the door, but then paused. She looked back at him, then glanced down at the pamphlets of Mura. Her lips twisted into another sneer, and as she left, she said, "Say hello to your _wife_ for me, Bi Ryeom. It's been so long, you must have had the marriage ceremony by now, right?"

Bi Ryeom watched her go, able to hear her footsteps down the hall for a long time afterwards.

...

CEO Shin Hu-ye sat at his desk, looking through some files on the Block World Project in Chungcheong Province; it had been started a few months ago and thankfully was proceeding right on schedule.

A sound at the door had him looking up to see Secretary Min entering, more paperwork held safely in his grasp.

"Changes to the tenant contracts need your signature, sir," Min said, with no preamble. Hu-ye appreciated that about him, though; there was no slyness, no tricks, just business and the open truth. "And our guests from China will be arriving sometime this evening to discuss the expansion deal."

"Ah, yes, thank-you, Secretary Min," Hu-ye answered, taking the papers from the other man. Something smaller than the forms, an envelope, slipped between them and fell onto his desk, startling them both. It was cream-colored and embossed; elegant calligraphy adorned the front, spelling out Hu-ye's name and address, as well as the sender's.

Min recovered more quickly, seeming to recognize the envelope. "Oh, that was in with your mail as well, sir." He paused, then added in a curious tone, "It looks like a wedding invitation. Do you know someone getting married?"

"No, no one," Hu-ye replied, turning the envelope over in his hands. For a brief moment, an image of So-ah sprang to mind. He quickly pushed it aside, as well as the resigned sadness that came with it. The envelope didn't have her name or address on it - and even if it had, it was only right for him to feel happy for her, even if it was with that water god. She was his friend, after all.

Min was staring at him, glancing between him and envelope, obviously curious but polite enough not to say anything. Hu-ye held it a moment longer, then set it aside; business had to come first.

"Well, I'll look at it later," he said, with a polite smile. Min nodded in understanding.

"Of course, sir. I'll get back to my own duties." He bowed in farewell and left Hu-ye's office.

Some time later, after going through the tenant contracts and looking over once more the outline for the meeting with the Chinese today, Hu-ye heard a buzz from his phone. Picking it up, he saw it was a text from So-ah.

 _Are we still on for lunch today?_

Hu-ye smiled, glad for the question; in truth, he had pretty much forgotten their lunch plans. Looking at the time, he was relieved to see he wasn't late yet. Quickly, he typed out a response,

 _Of course. I'll see you soon._

A moment later, and then, _Great. See you then._

They met at a little cafe about halfway between their respective headquarters, a place they'd been before but not frequently. A little after Habaek had left, about a year ago, Hu-ye had insisted on having lunch or the occasional breakfast date, strictly platonic, of course. "We're friends, aren't we?" he'd asked So-ah when she expressed some reluctance. "Friends have meals together, don't they?"

She'd smiled and conceded that point, and since then it had become an almost weekly occurence. Hu-ye knew better than to impose on So-ah and Habaek's evenings - he'd asked once before, when he knew he was on speaker phone and the water god could hear him, but mostly just for fun to hear his indignant response and So-ah's laughter in the background.

So-ah was already there when he arrived, and they bowed to each other in greeting before sitting down. A waitress quickly came by to take their order.

"So," So-ah began while they were waiting, "how are resort affairs going? Is it surviving even without Hyera?"

"Somehow," Hu-ye answered. "My marketing team was very disappointed, but what can you do?" He took a sip of water. "And the clinic? Everything is going well?"

"Yes, very. To be honest, I was barely able to slip away today, I have so many appointments. I had to push back Sang-yoo to come."

Hu-ye frowned thoughtfully at the name. "Sang-yoo...oh. I think I got a letter from him today."

So-ah looked surprised. The waitress came then with their food, and they paused their conversation to thank her and accept their food. "Sang-yoo?" So-ah said, resuming. "Wh-why? What did he send you? if it's something embarrassing, please ignore it and forgive me for having such an idiotic assistant."

Hu-ye grinned at that. "Oh, no, no, nothing like that. Your nurse can be...persistant at times, but he is good-hearted. He worries about you, I know." So-ah waved a hand dismissively, but ducked her head a bit, accepting the statement. "But...well, I didn't get a chance to look at it, but it looked like a wedding invitation."

She seemed even more surprised. "He send you an invitation? Really?"

"Oh, well, now that offends me," Hu-ye replied. "I'm a fun guy, aren't I? Why wouldn't anyone want me at a wedding?"

"Oh, that's not what I meant!" A faint blush appeared on the doctor's cheeks. "I just...I don't want Sang-yoo to be overstepping."

"I don't know. I might have to hold this against you. I get offended very easily, you know." Hu-ye smiled as So-ah, this time, rolled her eyes, exasperated. He took a bite of his noodles, but a buzzing sound had him finishing quickly and fishing his phone out of his pocket. It was Secretary Min, saying that there was a problem with a long-standing lawsuit against Beriwon Resort that he needed to review.

"Ah," Hu-ye said, apologetically. "I'm afraid I have to cut this short. I'm needed back at the office."

She gave him a small pout, but then nodded. "I understand. But please don't leave offended, alright? I know how you can hold a grudge. I take back my earlier tone, okay? Do you forgive me?"

His cheeky smile softened as he rose from his seat; she followed suit, setting her spoon down. "Of course," he told her. "We'll talk soon?"

"Yes, that sounds good."

They bowed to each other in farewell, then, and Hu-ye took some money from his pocket and left if on the table; it was more than enough for both their meals, and he hoped So-ah would let him take care of it. But, duty called, and so, with one more bow to her, he headed back to his office, typing out an answer while he walked.

...

 _Today's work was slightly better than usual. But let's still go home together tonight_ \- Water Ghost.

So-ah smirked at the message on her phone. She wondered what job Habaek had found, but decided to ask him when he came later. It wouldn't be too long, after all; her last patient had just left. It had been fortunate, after all, that Hu-ye had had to leave early, since one of her new patients had come in early, quite bereaved over an accident his imaginary friend had gotten into, one that he blamed another imaginary friend for causing.

 _Okay. You know where I'll be._

A few seconds later, an answer appeared: _You'd better be. I'll be there soon._

So-ah placed her phone down on her desk and rose from her chair, stretching her legs. She could hear Sang-yoo moving about upstairs, probably mopping the floor. It had rained the other night, and so a lot of mud had been tracked in that day.

All of a sudden she heard a clatter upstairs, and a muffled shout. So-ah frowned, heading towards the door up the stairs. "Sang-yoo?" she called.

The lights flickered twice, and then died. So-ah grabbed for the doorknob, but it wouldn't open, no matter how hard she turned. "Sang-yoo? Sang-yoo! Did you lock the door? Open up!" There was no response, even when she tried banging on the door. Something akin to fear settled in her stomach as Sang-yoo remained silent. "Sang-yoo!"

A cold breeze passed along her skin, causing goosebumps, even though she knew the windows were closed. She had only a moment to consider that odd, because in the next second something - the wind? - threw her against the wall. Her head banged against it painfully, and she half-slid, half-fell down the stairs, landing on her knees. There was a ringing in her ears, and she still hadn't adjusted to the darkness, causing her to panic even more.

"Wha-what's happening?" So-ah cried, reaching out blindly to pull herself up on the wall. "Is it - is it spirits? Ghosts?"

A howling wind tore through her office, scattering the papers on her desk, as well as whipping her hair and clothes about. A strong gust was powerful enough to lift So-ah up and move her across the room, causing her to crash into her desk. Pain exploded in her midsection and head, again, the darkness, which she'd finally gotten used to, began to look blacker.

 _Habaek_ , she thought desparately. She tried to find her phone, but her searching hands yielded nothing. _Habaek, please!_

The wind picked up again, and this time, when it threw her against he wall, the darkness covered her completely, and she blacked out.

* * *

 **A.N. - Uh, so, how was this one? Please let me know? I feel like I kinda rambled with Hu-ye's part, but I wanted to do a sort of "where are they now" with him, and show his and So-ah's friendship - I really liked their relationship on the show, even if I'm okay with them not being romantically involved.**

 **Everything making sense so far? Probably in the next chapter the threads I've spinning here will connect more clearly, but I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I'd love to hear from you! Any constructive criticism or theories are welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

Habaek was in a good mood.

It had been a good day for him, even if it didn't live up to his kingly standards. He'd found some work as a deckhand, having impressed the owner with his knowledge of river depth, currents, weather patterns, and fishng spots – he was a river god, after all – even though he'd never worked on a boat before. The owner, who incidentally was also the cousin of Namsuri's duck boat boss, had promised Habaek that he would keep the job for him if he was able to come for the rest of the week. Soon he'd be able to earn the all-powerful money for So-ah, and they would be set for life.

But when he neared So-ah's clinic, he knew something was wrong. There was an uncharacteristic chill in the air, as well as something else that didn't sit right with him. The lights in the clinic were off, even though So-ah should be there. He checked his phone, but there was nothing from her. Worried, he quickened his pace.

The door was unlocked, and he rushed in, only growing more concerned when he saw So-ah's assistant on the floor. Habaek cursed, and went over to him, placing a hand on the human's neck. He was alive, just unconscious. Satisfied that her nurse was fine for now, Habaek started searching for So-ah herself.

"So-ah!" he called, opening the door to her downstairs office. "So-ah!"

It was so dark, even he, with his superior divine eyes, had trouble seeing. A small tornado was raging in the middle of the room, whirling papers, office supplies, and even a chair around within itself; its appearance took Habaek back a bit, because that was definitely not supposed to be here, but he pushed away his surprise to focus on So-ah. He found her lying on the floor by her desk, unmoving on the ground. He took the remaining steps two at a time and rushed to her side. Just as he reached her, he saw, out of the corner of his eye, the mini tornado throw the chair out of its current, heading straight for them.

A tingle, and then a rush of power flowed through him, powerful and fluid like the water he commanded; he raised both hands, sending a jet of water at the chair that cut it in half and left the two pieces crashing to the ground, and another at the tornado itself, interrupting its flow and causing it to sputter out. Inexplicably, once the tornado was gone the lights returned, blinding after the near-total darkness. Habaek blinked a moment to adjust his eyes, and then knelt down to check on So-ah.

His fingers found a pulse, slower than usual but steady, and he breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive. That was the most important thing - no god, even with their powers working, could bring back the dead, and Habaek was terrified, not just of losing her to death sooner than he should, but the lengths he knew he would go to if that happened.

He tried shaking her, but to no avail. "So-ah," he said, slapping her face a bit. "So-ah, wake up. You need to show me you're alright. So-ah. So-ah, I order you to wake up."

After some more jostling, the woman let out a low groan, and her eyes flickered open. A look of confusion appeared on her face, but then realization hit, and she bolted upright.

"Ha - ahhhh, that hurts," So-ah cried, placing a hand on the back of her head and wincing. "Ha - Habaek, you're here! Wh-what happened?"

Habaek ignored her question, looking her over. She was dirty and had a few cuts on her face, and when he gently placed his own hand on the back of her head, he felt a bump forming. He pressed his lips into a thin line and concentrated, gathering the last remnants of power he could already _feel_ slipping away, healing what he hoped was most of her injuries. His powers faded then, but so, too, did the bump, and her shallower cuts closed completely.

"Habaek? What...what happened? There - there was a - a blackout, and - and then it was so windy, I fell, and..." She gripped his shirt all of a sudden. "Sang-yoo! Is he alright? I heard him upstairs, but - what happened to Sang-yoo?" She tried to stand, but was shaky, and quickly fell down again; Habaek gripped her arm and pulled her, slowly, to her feet.

"He's alive," Habaek answered. He couldn't commit to more than that. "He's upstairs, still." He held onto So-ah as she walked, trying to get to the stairs as fast as she could. When they got upstairs and reached Sang-yoo, she knelt to the ground again and, as Habaek did, felt for his pulse and breath.

"Sang-yoo," she said, shaking him. "Sang-yoo, wake up! Come on, you punk, wake up! If you don't, I'll, I'll, I'll fire you!" Sang-yoo must have hit his head harder than So-ah - or, Habaek thought darkly, some _one_ had hit him harder - because he did not wake, even with his job hanging in the balance. So-ah looked at Habaek, expression fearful.

"We have to get him to a hospital," she said. "He - he could have brain damage, or a concussion, or - and I should get checked, too, just in case -"

"You're fine," Habaek interrupted. "I healed you." He didn't wait for her to answer, instead grabbing his phone and dialing 119. He kept the conversation as short as possible, requesting an ambulance and giving the address. When he was done, he pulled So-ah to her feet again, and then lifted Sang-yoo, picking him up in his arms bridal-style.

"Stay with me," he told So-ah. She nodded, though kept her gaze on Sang-yoo. Habaek wasn't sure what to think of the nurse - he spoke too much for the god's liking, and disrespectfully, and didn't approve of their relationship, mortal-minded as he was. But Habaek also knew, despite her act, that So-ah cared for Sang-yoo and would be devastated if something happened to him.

"Habaek?" The god looked over. So-ah was biting her lip, and when she raised her gaze to meet his, confusion was mixed with the worry and fear. "What...what happened? Was it an attack? Why?"

Habaek took a while to answer. Finally, he sighed, and said. "I don't know." A steely glint entered his eyes. "But I'm going to find out."

...  
 _Sky Country, Realm of the Gods_  
 _1,020 years ago_

 _A gentle breeze blew by, bending the flowers in the Royal Gardens. The Gardens, just like the rest of the palace grounds, was situated on a the largest floating island in Sky Country. Here, clouds were solid enough to sit on, and though there were pathways between the grounded and ungrounded properties, most Sky citizens simply flew between them, grabbed onto passing clouds, or rode on the winds._

 _"Wait, wait, you're what?"_

 _Bi Ryeom pressed his lips into a thin line, then repeated himself, "I'm breaking up with you, Chun Hoo. We're over."_

 _Chun Hoo stared at him. Her hair, loose today, instead of tied back or braided, was swept to the right by one of the constant breezes. "You...you're not serious. All because...because of what?"_

 _The wind god sighed. "Come on, I know you're quicker than this. Our relationship is over. I'm...I'm engaged to be married. To Lady Mura."_

 _Chun Hoo's eyes widened. "Mura? Of Water Country? You're - **engaged** \- to the witch?"_

 _His eyes flashed then, and he took a step toward her, angry now even though he'd wanted to keep this friendly. "Don't call her that. She's a **goddess.** The Water prince declared it so."_

 _"Oh, so what?" Chun Hoo sneered now, an ugly look on her otherwise pretty face. "She can call herself a goddess all she likes, but the High Priest doesn't make mistakes - he called her the **Witch** of the Chung Yo Mountains when interpreting her fate, not a goddess. You and Habaek are the only ones who call her that."_

 _"Well, she has all the powers and attritbutes of a goddess, so what does it matter?" Bi Ryeom countered. He turned his head away, wishing this were over. He'd planned to have a very short conversation about this, but already it was longer than he'd like._

 _Chun Hoo was shaking her head. "I can't believe this. Is this - is it my fault? Did I do something to displease you? Why - why are you doing this, Bi Ryeom?" Reluctantly, Bi Ryeom turned back to face her, and, to his horror, he could see tears glistening in her eyes. "Don't you care about me at all?"_

 _"Chun Hoo -" he started, but found he couldn't continue. Right or wrong, his whole heart belonged to Mura, and he thought he could ignore that and just be with Chun Hoo - nobody expected gods to stay faithful forever, after all, a practice that explained his frequent dalliances nicely - but apparently not._

 _He reached a hand out, to touch her face, but she pulled back with a start, as if afraid he would hurt her. Well, he already had. She swallowed, twice, and then she raised her chin defiantly. Her tone was icy as she said, "Well, fine, you stupid god. It's not like I cared for you, either. You're just a troublemaker sticking your nose into every other country's business but neglect your own. And you know, that's the only reason I was with you - the king thought I could make you more patriotic. He ordered me to accept your courting." Her hands curled into fists. "You hear me, Bi Ryeom? Do you get it? What do you have to say to that?!"_

 _He stared at her. Finally, he replied, "I'm sorry."_

 _She looked back at him incredulously. "You're **sorry?** **That's** your response? Why?!"_

 _"I'm sorry," he repeated, taking a step closer; she didn't draw away this time. "If you say that to me, then I am sorry...for turning you into a liar, like me."_

 _ **Slap.** Bi Ryeom swallowed, letting the initial sting of the slap fade away before turning back to her._

 _"It's not going to end well," she promised. "You may love her, Bi Ryeom, but she doesn't love you. She doesn't even care about you. The three of you...you, Mura, Habaek...you're all just running after pain and heartbreak. When is it going to end? When will **you** end it?"_

 _He didn't answer, and she just shook her head sadly. "Fine. Whatever. Congratulations. I hope you're very happy together." She spun on her heel and then called the winds to her, lifting her up and away. He watched her go until she was just a spec in the distance, and then sighed, turning into a hawk and heading in the opposite direction - towards Water Country and his new fiancée._

"...Ryeom. Bi Ryeom. Bi Ryeom!"

Bi Ryeom's head snapped up, turning until he met Mura's gaze. She was looking at him oddly, an eyebrow raised. They were sitting at the table in the kitchen, eating inside for a change. Mura thought eating in their own apartment made even less sense than going out, but she'd been in a gracious mood today and had agreed to his request readily enough.

"What is wrong with you today?" she demanded now. "You haven't heard a word I've said tonight, and you keep spacing out. Why?"

"Ah, sorry," he replied, trying to sound casual. "I was just...thinking."

Mura rolled her eyes. _Well, duh,_ the action seemed to say. "About what?"

Bi Ryeom set his unused fork down, deciding what to tell her. He didn't want her to know Chun Hoo was here – he wanted to keep their life here simple, with no complications from other deities, but he had to tell her something. Finally, in a quiet voice, he said, "I've been thinking...about going back to Sky Country. To visit, or something," he added quickly.

Mura blinked, clearly surprised. "Oh. Well...that makes sense, then. We don't have to stay in the human realm anymore because of the God Stones, after all. When...when did you want to go?"

"I didn't say I'm doing it, I just said I'm _thinking_ about it," Bi Ryeom snapped, harsher than he meant. Mura pulled back, startled, then set her lips in a line. She took the napkin off her lap, placing it on the table, and then rose from her seat. B Ryeom sighed, and got up as well, following her to her room.

"Mura –" he tried, but she closed the door on him with a firm snap. He grimaced, leaning against the door. That had probably cost him quite a few steps.

The buzzing of his phone pulled him from his thoughts. Fishing it out of his pocket, he saw that it was Habaek. He frowned when he saw it, but answered nonetheless – it was a distraction, at least.

"Habaek, if this is you calling for money again –"

 _"So-ah's been attacked,"_ Habaek interrupted, tone hard.

That was not what Bi Ryeom expected to hear. "What?"

Mura had opened the door a crack when she'd heard Habaek's name – _of course she did_ – and so he put the other on speakerphone.

" _She_ _was_ _attacked at her clinic,"_ Habaek said. _"I need to find out who did it. It was clearly_ _not of a human na_ ture."

"What?" Mura broke in, leaning closer to the phone in By Ryeom's hand. "Habaek, are you alright? Where are you?"

"What makes you say the attacker wasn't human?" Bi Ryeom added.

" _I'm at the hospital closest to her practice. So-ah and her nurse needed to be looked at. I'm fine. But there was a blackout, and a tornado in her office, and when it disappeared the lights came back on."_

"A tornado?" Mura repeated, confused. Bi Ryeom clenched his jaw. Surely it couldn't be...

 _"Bi Ryeom,"_ Habaek said.

"Huh? What?" the wind god answered.

 _"I need you to contact the minor gods. Make them tell you if they know anything."_ The king to-be's tone grew darker. " _Or if one of them did it."_

Bi Ryeom swallowed. "Yeah. Alright. I'll do that."

"Habaek, stay where you are," Mura ordered. "I'm coming to you. You'll need someone with powers in case they come back."

 _"Alright."_ The line went dead then; Habaek had hung up.

Before Mura could go, B Ryeom reached out and caught her wrist. She looked at him questioningly. "Hey," he said, voice serious, "be careful."

She searched his face, looking for what he didn't know, but then she nodded. "You, too." Then she offered a tiny smile and raised his hand to her lips, kissing it. There – forgiveness. Then she pulled away, out of his grasp, and disappeared in the blink of an eye, off to protect her king.

Bi Ryeom sighed, before disappearing himself – he had someone to find.

* * *

 **A.N. The idea of Mura being a "witch" instead of a goddess comes from the manwha (and Habaek's kindness in calling her a goddess being one of the reasons she loves him). Curious, how many of you readers have read the manwha, or just watched the show, or both read and watched?**


	5. Chapter 5

**A.N. - Hey, everyone, sorry it's been so long, but college has been rough from the start, and I think I mentioned before I wasn't sure how much time I would have for this. But what I do have, I am still working on this; it's not abandoned.**

 **Hope you like it! Please let me know, any comments or constructive criticism welcome!**

* * *

The air in the human world was disgusting.

It smelled foul, and was filled with contanimants; a single breath was enough to make Chun Hoo gag. How could Bi Ryeom - how could any god - stand to be here? How could they _choose_ to remain here, of their own free will, when the Realm of the Gods was so much better?

But, the Realm of the Gods and the human world _were_ nominally connected, and the winds here still came at her command, still rushed to obey her will, and still carried messages from beyond.

"You were right, my lord," Chun Hoo said, seemingly to empty air. She stood on the roof of a high rise, wanting to be as close to the sky as she could. The lights from the city outshone the stars, and that, too, was disgusting to her. "It seems Lord Habaek's powers are tied to that woman."

There was a pause, and then the goddess felt a breeze by her ear, as if someone had blown on her.

 _"Ah, how intriguing,"_ said the Sky King, his voice carried on the winds. _"Well, good to know. Now we can move on to the next phase. Do that as quickly as you can."_

"Of course."

 _"Now what of Bi Ryeom, hmm? What did he say?"_

Chun Hoo pressed her lips together; the very thought of seeing Bi Ryeom today, sharing his apartment, his _life_ with that stuck-up witch, still made her blood boil. But she kept her tone calm, almost emotionless, as she answered,

"He...declines your invitation, my lord. Respectfully, of course."

 _"Of course,"_ the king echoed, voice laced with amusement, before he sighed. _"Ah well, it would have been good to have him on our side. I'm especially sorry for you, my dearest one. I know how fond you are of him; I'd hoped to bring him back for you."_

Chun Hoo looked away, as if her master was right in front of her, to hide the blush that had crept up her neck. "I don't know what you mean, my lord. That pesky god means nothing to me. If it weren't for Your Majesty's will, I would never have asked him to return."

 _"Haha, of course. My apologies, Chun Hoo. I must be mistaken."_ There was a pause, before the king gave his final message, _"Well, we're both very busy, I won't keep you. Follow the plan, and then return. Without his powers, Habaek cannot hurt you, and Bi Ryeom would not dare."_ His voice turned coy. _"And I'm sure you can handle anything the witch throws at you, no?"_

"You know I can, my lord," Chun Hoo replied.

A rush of air carried her master's laugh away into the night, and then all was calm.

...

So-ah sat on the couch of Ahn Bin/Bi Ryeom's apartment, gripping her phone in her hand. She had been cleared at the hospital, but they were keeping Sang-yoo, still unconcious, at least overnight. So-ah and Habaek had stayed with him until Hyung Sik and Hyun Ah could come. So-ah had wanted to stay, but couldn't bear seeing Sang-yoo simply lying there, and unable to tell his fiancée - unable to tell anyone - what had happened. So, when Mura arrived at the hospital and demanded that Habaek and So-ah take refuge at Ahn Bin and Mura's apartment, in case So-ah's house could be a target as well, So-ah reluctantly agreed.

She'd asked Hyung Sik to keep her updated, and the other woman had promised to do so, so the psychiatrist kept staring at her phone, hoping to hear something. In front of her, standing in the living room, were Habaek and Mura; Habaek held his hands behind his back, a brooding look on his face, while Mura paced back and forth, muttering names and what she would do to the god that was responsible for this attack. So-ah held no illusions that the goddess' anger was for her sake - Mura only tolerated So-ah because of Habaek - but she had to admit, it felt nice having a deity whose powers were much more constant on her side.

A movement at the door made all three of them look up. It was Bi Ryeom, returned from wherever he had been tracking down the minor gods to interrogate.

"Well?" Habaek asked, back straightening.

Bi Ryeom shook his head as he walked into the apartment. "None of them had any idea what I was talking about. And, before you say anything, yes, I made sure they were telling the truth. Jin Geon helped me - they trust him."

"So, to sum it up, we have no leads," Mura said flatly. She crossed her arms over her chest, still managing to look fabulous while she did so. "What are we supposed to do now? How are we going to make sure Habaek - and So-ah - is safe?"

"Well, I wouldn't say... _no_ leads," Bi Ryeom replied hesitantly. Both his fellow gods looked at him more attentively, and Habaek stepped closer.

"What do you mean? Do you know something? Tell me, Bi Ryeom," Habaek ordered.

Before Bi Ryeom could respond, a strong, cold breeze rushed by; So-ah tensed, as it reminded her of what had happened in her office. Then suddenly, there was a fifth person in the room, standing behind one of the chairs, closer to the kitchen.

The other person was a young woman, with long black hair and golden eyes, attired in a fashionable blue dress. Immediately, the three gods moved - Habaek stepped protectively in front of So-ah; Mura placed herself in front of him, and Bi Ryeom moved to flank her. The newcomer's mouth twitched into a small smile, seemingly amused by the display.

"Lord Habaek," she said in a clear, soothing voice. "It is good to see you again." She bowed, but - from So-ah's limited viewpoint around the numerous bodies in front of her - it was shallow, almost disrespectful, despite her choice of words. But, not all the gods gave Habaek the respect he was supposedly due - Bi Ryeom certainly didn't, and sometimes not even Mura when she was in a particularly bad mood - so maybe it shouldn't be such a surprise.

"Who are you?" Habaek asked, tone cool, clearly displeased by the intrusion and lack of respect. He moved to stand in front, and reluctantly Mura and Bi Ryeom let him.

The woman had risen from her bow, and raised an eyebrow at the water god. "Do you not remember me, my lord?"

Habaek cocked his head, considering. Finally, he answered, "No. Should I?"

"No, my lord. It's been a very long time since we last met. I had merely wondered, audacious as I am." She bowed again, slightly deeper than before. "My name is Chun Hoo, my lord, and I am the personal attendant of His Majesty the Sky King."

"Sky King?" Habaek glanced at Bi Ryeom, who appeared tense, but whose expression So-ah could not see. "What does that..." Habaek clenched a fist and then swallowed, before finding the right words, " _person_...want?"

The woman, Chun Hoo, reached around and pulled a scroll from her pocket. She held it out in both hands, reverently. "I am glad you asked, Lord Habaek. He has sent me with a message of great importance to deliver to your lordship." She paused as Habaek slowly reached out and took the scroll, unwinding it. "Please remember in this instance, my lord, that I am merely the messenger."

So-ah stood while Habaek read the message, moving closer to him. She wasn't sure why, but she felt that she needed to be near him. Something didn't feel right.

"What does it say?" Mura asked, just as Habaek's hands clenched around the paper, crumpling and almost ripping it, as his head shot up, glaring at Chun Hoo.

"What is the meaning of this!?" he snarled at her. "This - this - this _audacity!_ This is - this is _treason_ , and you dare bring this to me, your king -!" He took a step closer to her, as did Mura, but Chun Hoo looked unconcerned.

"Please remember I am merely the messenger," she repeated. "Neither of you would dare break the ancient laws regarding messengers in time of war, would you?"

Mura, a ball of pulsing light in her hand, snarled at Chun Hoo, but let the weapon die, fading into her hand like mist. "You do not need to remind us of the ancient laws," she snapped.

"What's happening? What does it say?" So-ah asked anxiously. Something was digging into her hand, and a moment later she realized it was her phone. She put it in her pocket.

"Sky Country," Habaek ground out, without looking at her, "The _king_ of Sky Country has...declared war against me and Water Country. He is challenging my right to the throne. He means to usurp me."

So-ah's eyes widened. "But - but if you don't become the king -!" she sputtered. She looked at Chun Hoo and burst out, "But if Habaek doesn't become king, he'll die!"

Chun Hoo looked back at her, an almost bored expression on her face. "That is no concern of mine. I seek only to serve my master."

" _I_ am your master," Habaek reminded her, tone harsh. " _I_ am your _king."_

"Not yet," Chun Hoo answered. "I am a citizen of Sky Country, not Water. And you chose to postpone your ascension to the throne of the gods, so as of now, you have no power over me." She shrugged. "Perhaps not ever, now."

Habaek thrust the scroll back into Chun Hoo's hands. "I will not let him get away with this," he said coldly. "Enjoy your immunity now, messenger, because the next time I see you, I will not hold back my anger."

"Of course, my lord," Chun Hoo replied. She smirked, then glanced over at Bi Ryeom, who had stayed strangely silent throughout this exchange. "And what of you, Lord Bi Ryeom? Have you reconsidered the Sky King's request?"

Habaek's and Mura's heads snapped to the side to look at the wind god. For his part, Bi Ryeom stared stonily at Chun Hoo, arms pressed against his sides. Finally, in a tired voice, he replied, "My answer is the same."

Chun Hoo nodded. "Very well." She then gave the same, shallow bow from before, and then disappeared in a gust of wind, just as she had appeared.

As soon as the other goddess was gone, Mura set upon Bi Ryeom, grabbing him by the arm. "What was she talking about?" she demanded. "What request? Have you spoken with her already? Did you know about this? Tell me the truth!"

Bi Ryeom looked pained in the face of his lover's verbal onslaught. "I spoke with Chun Hoo today, yes," he answered finally. "She came by earlier. No, I did _not_ know about the declaration of war." He shook his head and snorted. "Though it makes sense now...no wonder His Majesty wanted me to come back."

Mura looked thunderstruck. "So _that's_ why...when you said you were thinking about going back to Sky Country..."

Bi Ryeom nodded. "Yes."

"But you said no? You're not going back?" Mura pressed.

"You heard me now, didn't you? My answer is the same - no, I'm not going back."

"Did he ask you?" Habaek said suddenly. Bi Ryeom turned to face him. "Did he ask you?" Habaek repeated, an urgent note in his voice. "Or did he order you?"

Mura looked between the two gods as Bi Ryeom remained silent. "What does it matter?" she asked. "Habaek, you are his king. Only you -"

"Bi Ryeom is a citizen of Sky Country," Habaek said, cutting her off. "And - as Chun Hoo just reminded us - until I officially take my throne, I technically have no authority over gods of other countries. Not if their own rulers contradict me." He turned back to Bi Ryeom. "So. Did he ask you? Or order you?"

"He asked me," Bi Ryeom answered finally. He sighed, then ran a hand through his hair. "But it wouldn't surprise me if that changes, later down the road."

"And if it does?" Habaek pressed, taking another step closer. "What will you do, Bi Ryeom? If that happens?"

The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. So-ah and Mura stood, glancing between the males, each one of them anxious to hear the answer. Bi Ryeom stared at Habaek for a long time, before looking away.

"I won't go to war against you, Habaek," he said at last, still not looking at the other god. "I've told you before I'll fight you, and I still will, but...but I won't go to war against you. Not for him."

Mura frowned at that, but the answer seemed to satisfy Habaek, who stepped back, breaking the tension. He turned to So-ah, who came to attention, searching her boyfriend's face worriedly.

"Let's go home," he said softly.

So-ah blinked, surprised. "What?" she said, just as Mura protested,

"But, Habaek -!"

"Chun Hoo has done what she set out to," Habaek interrupted. "And the Sky King's letter gave me one full, human day to give a response. So, So-ah and I are going to go home and get some rest, and then early tomorrow we" he gestured towards himself and his fellow gods "are going to figure out how to proceed from here." His face darkened, then he shook his head, perhaps to clear it. "Alright?"

"But - are you safe at So-ah's house?" Mura asked worriedly. "If the attacker goes there -"

"It was Chun Hoo," Habaek said, one hand clenched into a fist as the other grabbed So-ah's. "That's what you thought, right, Bi Ryeom?"

Bi Ryeom nodded. "Yeah."

The other god sighed. "Yeah."

"Well...well..." Mura didn't seem able to come up with another answer, and with a huff, she gave up.

Habaek looked back at So-ah. "Ready?" he asked.

Well, she _was_ tired...it had been a trying evening. She fished her phone out of her pocket to check if there were any messages, but her inbox was empty. Well, no news was good news, wasn't that the saying?

"Yes," she said eventually. "Let's go home."

Habaek nodded, and then led her out of the apartment. His grip on her hand had tightened, and she looked at him worriedly. Their lives, and their life together, she knew, had just changed completely.

Surely they would be able to weather these new challenges - as long as they were together.


	6. Chapter 6

**A.N. - I was so happy to receive my first review on this story! Thank-you, candicane26! I know I don't update very often, but I hope you're all still enjoying!  
**

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So-ah closed the door to her house quietly, watching as Habaek, who had entered before her, went to stand in the living room by their couch. He appeared to be in deep thought, seemingly staring at the floor but, So-ah knew, not really seeing it.

She wanted to move close to him, to wrap him in her arms and comfort him, but she also felt frozen, not wanting to intrude on his thoughts. This was a deep matter, a war between gods, and she felt she had no place in it.

Eventally, though, she could not stand the silence. Moving away from the door, but stopping in front of her kitchen table, she said, "What happens now? What...will you do?"

Not looking at her, Habaek replied, "I must go back to Water Country. My kingdom, my people, they need me."

"But what about -" So-ah stopped herself. _What about me?,_ she'd been about to say. _What about my wish?_ She knew it was selfish of her to remind Habaek, to want to make him stay, but hadn't they gone through enough for him to be able to? For them to have the comfortable life they enjoyed now?

Perhaps Habaek knew what she wanted to say. Turning, he took a step closer to her, a troubled expression on his face. "I am sorry, So-ah. I cannot even fulfill your wish. I am a poor master, for not being able to give his servant something she so surely deserves, and what we both desire."

So-ah shook her head hard. "No, no! Please don't apologize – it is my own selfishness." She paused, swallowing, as she asked, the fear of his next answer in her throat,

"Will you...come back?"

Habaek closed the distance between them, and placed his hands on her shoulders. Looking into her eyes, he told her, "I swear, So-ah, that I will do everything in my power to return to you. If I can – and I will make _sure_ I can – then I will come back to you."

She felt the sting of tears in her eyes as she nodded, grateful for the certainty in his voice, if not necessarily in his words. "Okay," she whispered.

Carefully, slowly, Habaek lifted her chin up, and brought his lips down on hers. She clutched at him, pulling him into a deeper kiss, more desparate than any kiss they'd shared in a while - they hadn't _needed_ to be desparate, because they were _together_ and were supposed to be like that for the rest of her days -

Eventually they broke for air, and Habaek pulled away slightly, to look at So-ah in the eye.

"If I must go," he began, "then I would like a good memory, something happy, to hold onto, to give me strength in the coming war." He reached a hand up and wiped away her tears. "But only if you are willing to give it to me. Your happiness is my happiness."

His words threatened to bring more tears to her eyes, but kinder ones. Sniffling a little, So-ah said, "Something happy?"

"Yes."

She nodded, then smiled a little. There wasn't anything saying she couldn't turn this bitter parting into something more sweet. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him again.

"Then let's get started."

...

The next day they drove out to the gods' gate, on the land So-ah's family had held for generations. It stilled amazed her to think that she had considered this property worthless, ignorant of its true power and significance. How could she ever have thought to sell it?

Well, some days she did wish she could sell it - any money was good money.

Mura and Bi Ryeom were waiting for them, Habaek having spoken to them on the phone on the way here. Mura was dressed in a chic black dress that stopped just above her knees, and gold heels. The ground was muddy from a hard rain a few days ago, so So-ah wasn't sure why Mura had chosen that particular footwear, but a goddess must always be fashionable, she supposed.

Bi Ryeom was dressed more casually, in a white sweater and gray slacks. He had his hands in his pockets, but he wore an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. It unnerved So-ah to see him like that - if even Ahn Bin was taking this threat seriously, then it must be of an even greater magnitude than she thought.

Mura smiled at the two of them, even So-ah. "My lord," she said, with a small bow to Habaek.

"Are you ready?" Habaek asked, with no preamble. Mura nodded.

Bi Ryeom stepped forward, taking his hands out of his pockets. "Are you sure this is the best idea? Shouldn't I be coming with you?" His eyes darted towards Mura before looking at Habaek as he said this.

"We talked about this," Habaek replied. "If the Sky King wants you back in the Realm of the Gods, then obviously the best place for you - if you're on my side - is to be here, away from his influence. And you'll be able to keep tabs on the minor gods, see what their thoughts are. Keep them from defecting."

"They've already defected," Mura pointed out. "They left the Realm of the Gods."

"Even so." Habaek was firm. With a frown, Bi Ryeom eventually nodded, seeing his point.

"Alright," he said. He then turned to Mura and, unexpectedly, from the small gasp she gave, reached towards her and dipped her downwards, placing his lips on hers as he did so. They stood that way for almost a minute, before Bi Ryeom brought them both up and they separated. Mura looked a little embarrased, smacking his arm slightly, but the blush and small smile on her face belied her true feelings.

Habaek turned to So-ah, and offered a small smile. He took her in his arms and gave her her own kiss, sweet and soft but deep at the same time. She remembered the night before, and grew warm, wishing that hadn't been the result of having to part from him today.

Eventually the water god pulled back, glancing backwards at the gate that would take Mura and him home, to Water Country.

"I'll miss you," So-ah said, bringing his attention back on her. She squeezed his hands between hers. "Please, please be careful. And remember what you promised."

Habaek nodded. "Of course. I'll miss you, too. I love you."

"I love you."

He pulled away then, and Mura and he approached the gate. So-ah shivered, sensing the power in the air - ancient, sacred, deep. Her family was tied to this place, to these gods, and she herself was bound to Habaek in so many other ways as well. She could feel the opening of the gate in her bones.

Before the water gods stepped through, however, So-ah dashed forward, grabbing onto Habaek and spinning him around. As he looked at her, amazed, she reached up and kissed him once more.

As if on reflex, he automatically kissed her back. When they parted, he looked at her, a question in his eyes.

"I just wanted one more," she told him, somewhat breathless. "Before you left."

Habaek smiled at that. "I'm glad," he said. He stroked her face, and then turned around again, and this time So-ah let him, moving backwards a few paces.

Taking a deep breath, Habaek stepped through the gate, and was gone. Mura looked over her shoulder for a second, locking eyes with Bi Ryeom, before stepping forward; with a flash of light, she, too, was gone.

The lovers they'd left behind stared at the gate for a while, now nothing more than an arch of stone, ancient looking but not anything special.

Finally, Bi Ryeom turned to So-ah. "Well?" he said. "Shall we get back?"

She turned to him in surprise. "You're not just going to teleport yourself?"

He shrugged. "Well, why would I? This way I get to spend time with my favorite gods' servant." He snapped his fingers, and did teleport then - both So-ah and himself, into So-ah's car.

So-ah, in the driver's seat, sputtered a bit, disliking the feeling of being transfered from one spot suddenly to another. She reached over and smacked Bi Ryeom on the arm.

"Don't do that! At least tell me first!"

Bi Ryeom rubbed his arm and shot her a wounded look. "Ai, woman, you don't have to hit so hard."

"Please," So-ah muttered, buckling her seatbelt and started the car's ignition. "Like I could actually hurt you."

She looked behind her, easing the car into reverse, then making a K-turn to get down the somewhat hill-y area. After a while of driving, she glanced to her right, where Bi Ryeom sat, staring out the windshield. His silence unnerved her.

"You think...you think they'll be alright, don't you?" So-ah asked, in a small voice.

Her question shook the god from his thoughts, and he looked over at her. He simply stared at her for a while, before he flashed her a charming smile.

"Of course!" he exclaimed, in a voice So-ah knew was mostly fake. "Our Habaek and Mura? Strongest gods I know! They'll be fine!" His smile grew wider, stretching the corners of his mouth, as if trying to convince her with its size.

Eventually So-ah nodded, giving into his ruse.

"Right," she said, nodding at him before turning onto the main road. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

...

The first place So-ah went to after the gods' gate was the hospital, where Sang-yoo was still being held. From a text she'd gotten early this morning from Hyung Sik, she knew he was awake at last. She'd forced herself to put her anxiety over her nurse aside last night, trying to make a happy moment for Habaek and give him a proper send-off this morning, but now, Sang-yoo had all of her atttention.

To her continued surprise, Bi Ryeom joined her, following her around the hospital as she looked for Sang-yoo's room, 432; they'd moved him since she last saw him.

The wind god did stay outside in the hall, however, when So-ah finally found the room and entered. Hyung Sik was there, seated on a chair besides the bed, as was another woman, rather on the petite side, standing near the window. She was clearly Korean, but she'd dyed her hair red, as well as shaved one side of her head, letting the hair on the other side grow to about shoulder-length. Both Hyung Sik and the redhaired woman turned to look at So-ah.

"So-ah," Hyung Sik greeted, with a small smile. The other woman's eyes widened a little, and the look of interest on her face turned to wariness. But So-ah didn't want to bother with this stranger right now; she was looking at Sang-yoo, who, to her great relief, was sitting up, on his own power, though he did have an IV hooked into his arm, and was wearing a rather unflattering hospital gown.

"Doctor!" Sang-yoo exclaimed, upon seeing her. He pushed his glasses up further on his nose, as they had slipped down. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"Geez, at least you could pretend to be happy to see me," So-ah complained, though with a smile. Sang-yoo looked embarrassed.

"I-I'm sorry, Doctor. I just - oh, are you alright?" The nurse, currently patient, leaned forward, tone urgent. "Hyung Sik told me you had to be checked out at the hospital, too. You weren't hurt badly, were you? I'm sorry I couldn't protect our clinic - can you imagine, thieves trying to steal from a psychiatric clinic? Honestly!"

"I'm alright, Sang-yoo," So-ah replied, shifting a little at her nurse's comment. The story the police and hospital had eventually settled on - since one of the witnesses was unconscious, the other couldn't tell them what happened, and So-ah's office was in such disarray - was that thieves had tried to break in, and had attacked both Sang-yoo and So-ah, and had disappeared before So-ah woke up and her boyfriend, Habaek, had arrived.

"I'm just glad you're alright," So-ah continued, stepping closer to the bed. "You...you really scared me - us. Everyone. Hyung Sik, I mean."

Sang-yoo smiled slightly, seeming to know what she was trying to say. "I'm sorry, Doctor. I'll try to be more vigilant next time."

"You'd better be," she said. "Hurry up and get better, okay? Our practice just isn't the same without you. Don't worry, it'll pay for your bills here, and of course you'll get paid leave until you're ready to come back."

"Thank-you, So-ah," Hyung Sik said, in her quiet voice. She reached over and grabbed Sang-yoo's hand, who began to stroke it. So-ah looked away, suddenly emotional. Turning it into a cough, she looked back at Sang-yoo and told him,

"Well, I wanted to come and check on you, after Hyung Sik told me you'd woken up. But I have to go now, so I guess I'll see you later. Get better soon."

Sang-yoo nodded. "Thank-you, Doctor."

So-ah nodded, then bowed to the three of them - the other woman, who hadn't said a word, seemed very familiar, but So-ah couldn't tell from where - and left the room.

Bi Ryeom had been leaning agains the wall, and pushed off it when she cam out. So-ah eyed him oddly, wondering what he was still doing here, but said nothing.

In fact, she said nothing the whole rest of the day, as she cleaned up the mess her attacker had made; spoke to another police detective about the incident; broke for lunch, did paperwork; ordered dinner which she ate in her office; and sent out emails to her patients assuring them she would be open for business in a couple days at the most.

And Bi Ryeom. Was still. There.

Finally, when she was done with everything for that day, So-ah turned to Bi Ryeom, who at that point was sitting in a swivel chair by the stairs.

"What," she said.

He looked up from his phone. "What?"

"You know what!" So-ah exclaimed, suddenly irritated at his presence. Maybe it was the fact the wind god had acted as if he wasn't here - except to lift pieces of her shrimp out of her shrimp stir-fry dinner - that made her so annoyed, but she found herself snapping, "What are you doing here? Why haven't you left? Why have you been with me all day?"

"What, you didn't enjoy my company?"

"No, actually, I didn't," she said shortly, crossing her arms over her chest. "You didn't say a single word to me after the car this morning. It's really annoying. What are you playing at, Ahn Bin?"

A small smile danced on his lips at the name she still used for him occasionally, but it faded as he put his phone down and stared at her.

"I'm here to keep you safe," he said.

So-ah stared at him, waiting for him to say more. When he didn't, she replied, "What...do you mean?"

Bi Ryeom sighed. "Habaek asked me to look after you while he was gone, alright? He's worried the Sky King might try something with you while he's not here to protect you."

So-ah shifted in her chair, uneasy. The idea of being attacked again did scare her - though she really should be used to it by now, hanging out with gods and half-gods as much as she did - but...

"But isn't the Sky King after Habaek's throne?" she asked. "That's..well, it's in the world of the gods, right? Why would he come here, or send anyone here? Why would, if Habaek isn't even here, why would he go after me?"

"Because you're precious to him," Bi Ryeom replied. "Habaek loves you. He defied his fate for you, he postponed his ascension for you. You think just because you're in the human world that's going to matter? That, in a war - the Sky King has declared _war_ , in case you've forgotten - that boundaries like that matter? You can be used against Habaek, So-ah, and so for your sake, and his, I'm going to protect you."

Bi Ryeom's voice had risen with each word, and deepened; in the most serious voice So-ah had ever heard from him, he said, leveling her with a soul-searching look, "So get used to it."

So-ah sat there, letting his words sink in. She'd felt giddy at being called Habaek's precious, but also guilty, at being the reason the Sky King could attack Water Country and possibly harm Habaek as well. And there was also something that didn't click with Bi Ryeom's words and current actions, and what she knew of him.

"But...I understand why he asked you, but why would you do it?" she asked.

Bi Ryeom seemed surprised by the question, then smirked, shaking his head. "Ah, because you think I hate him? Ha. Well, Yoon So-ah, I like you well enough - no, really, I do." He winked at her then, a little of his mischievious side returning. "And I like having met you before Habaek. And, I also don't like the Sky King, despite where I come from. So, helping you, and hurting the Sky King? A win-win in my book." He shrugged, then added, "And Mura wants me to help Habaek, so I guess it's like a win-win-win."

So-ah nodded, accepting that. "Okay."

She stood up then, and removed her doctor's coat, hanging it on a coat rack. She gathered her things she needed to bring home, logged out of her computer, and placed her dinner containers in the trash. Straightening up, she turned to the wind god, who was watching her, waiting for her next move.

"Well, then," she said. "I guess you're going to follow me home, too?"

Bi Ryeom grinned, earlier cheeky confidence returned. "Yup," he replied. "I told you, Yoon So-ah, you're going to be stuck with me for a while, so you'd better get used to it."

So-ah sighed, and headed towards the door. "As long as you don't give me my own personal raincloud again, I guess it won't be that bad."

"Oh come on, that was one time! And I saved you from that truck the next day, right? That's gotta count for something, right?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

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 **A.N. - So, yay, the end of Chapter 6! It turned out a little bit different than I thought it would, but I like what I have for the most part. What do you all think? Constructive criticism and reviews always welcome!**

 **Also, I just recently finished watching Goblin: The Lonely and Great God. I have a few crossover ideas for that fandom and BotWG, but we'll see if they ever see the light of day.**

 **Anyone enjoying the 2018 Olympics in South Korea? I think that's helped me get back into writing this fanfiction. There's been some really cool events, definitely you should check it out!**


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